A Rural Blog that provides views & insights from a Conservative Georgia Democrat

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Endorsement for State Labor Commissioner: Terry Coleman (D-Eastman)

In the race to replace Michael Thurmond at Labor Commissioner, Peanut Politics has decided to endorse Terry Coleman in the democratic primary over Darryl Hicks for Labor Commissioner.

Coleman is the former Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives in which he served for 34 yrs as State Representattive.

After that he served as Deputy Agriculture Commissioner from 2007-2010 under Tommy Irvin.

Coleman's vast wealth of experience will be a valuable asset in helping bring Georgia's unemployment rate down & to provide jobs to our communities. And Coleman's plan for a 21st Century Team to help our state target the industries of the future: biotechnology, green industry, new innovations in agriculture and forestry and the other industries will be key in moving Georgia forward. As a small business owner Coleman knows small businesses are the backbone of our economy & that experience as a small business owner will be key in helping our small businesses create jobs & putting Georgians back to work.

Coleman, along with U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-Virginia)

Darryl Hicks is a fine candidate & I had the pleasure of meeting him a while back, but Terry's experience as a legislator, small business man, traditional values of hard work & services as well as his rural roots & renewed effort to education, which is a big piece of his platform makes him the best choice to lead the democrats in the General Election & to bring unemployed Georgians out of their funk of not being able to find Jobs due to the economic policies of the failed leadership of the Georgia GOP.

2 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Keith, You're wrong on that point. Terry Coleman is un-electable because of his ethics scandal, in which he had to pay a fine for misappopriation of funds. He lost control of the house to Republicans with failed leadership, and he failed to prevent the outbreak of the peanut butter tainting scandal here in Blakely on his watch at the Agriculture Department, which costs dozens of peanut butter plant workers their jobs and caused hundreds of kids to get seriously sick and several people acutally died. I think you cannot overlook these issues. I've heard Darrell Hicks, on Martha Zoller's radio show last week. He appears to have decent corporate business experience and balanced county budgets according to the AJC without raising taxes. He looks to us here in South Georgia, that he might be the best guy for the labor job after you look at the record closer.Just my thoughts.

My two cents on this: Democrats lost control of the house because of mass retirements by long time democrats & party switching. Nothing Coleman did as House Speaker. Some have said had Larry Walker been speaker, that Democrats probably would have either a narrow majority as of today, or close to majority. I don't believe that!

The Salomnella Outbreak at the Early County Plant wasn't solely his fault. There was a lot of blame to go around on that issue.

Yes he had ethical issues back when he was State Rep, but they are serious enough to cause concern among democrats. And they are no where near the level of ethics of Oxendine, Deal, or Johnson & they are gunning for the GOP nomination for governor.

I know Hicks, I've met him back in Jan up in Taylor Co & he is a good fella. I was going to remain neutral in this race, but I decided to endorse Coleman because in my opinion he gives democrats the best chance to win in November.

Not saying Hick can't win it in november, but coleman has strong grassroots support from all over the state & he has a base in Middle Georgia he can count on to turn out in numbers in his favor.